Vitalik Buterin Donates $240K to Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm’s Legal Defense Fund

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has contributed 100 Ether ($240,000) to the legal defense fund supporting Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm. This brings the fund to over 327 ETH ($785,000), aiding Storm amid ongoing legal battles with the U.S. government.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has made another significant donation to the legal defense fund for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, contributing 100 Ether, valued at around $240,000. The fund, known as “Free Alexey & Roman Storm,” supports the legal defense efforts of Storm as he faces prosecution for his work on Tornado Cash, a privacy-focused crypto mixer.

This is Buterin’s third contribution to the cause, and the total amount raised for Storm’s defense now stands at over 327 ETH, worth approximately $785,000. The funds, sourced from 148 payments, are being used to cover Storm’s legal expenses as he fights a series of serious charges related to his involvement in Tornado Cash.

Upon receiving the donation, Storm expressed his deep gratitude toward Buterin, stating:

“I can’t describe how much it means to me. Thank you for your long-lasting support.”
– Vitalik Buterin

Tornado Cash Developer’s Trial Moves Forward

Roman Storm’s legal battle stems from his work on Tornado Cash, a crypto mixer that has drawn scrutiny from U.S. officials. The platform allows users to mix cryptocurrency transactions, thereby enhancing privacy but also raising concerns among regulators over its use in illicit activities like money laundering.

A New York judge ruled in late September that the trial against Storm, brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), would proceed. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the Southern District of New York denied Storm’s motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him, emphasizing that the charges were not baseless. She noted:

“I cannot simply accept Mr. Storm’s narrative that he is being prosecuted merely for writing code.”

Storm and his legal team have argued that prosecuting him for writing open-source code infringes on First Amendment rights, which protect free speech. However, the judge dismissed this argument, stating that the functionality of code does not equate to speech under the First Amendment.

Rising Support for Roman Storm Ahead of the December Trial

The trial, which is set to begin on December 2, 2024, has garnered widespread attention within the crypto community. Roman Storm and Roman Semenov, another Tornado Cash developer, face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, and violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which governs U.S. sanctions.

Storm, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintains that Tornado Cash is merely an open-source platform, freely available to the public, and not controlled by its developers. If convicted, Storm faces a potential prison sentence of up to 45 years.

The case has raised alarm throughout the crypto space, as many developers and enthusiasts argue that the prosecution of open-source code developers could set a dangerous precedent for software creators worldwide.

Despite sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the platform continued to attract significant deposits in 2024, totaling nearly $2 billion in the first half of the year. This represents a 50% increase from the previous year, reflecting ongoing use of the platform, which relies on pseudonymous wallet addresses.

The outcome of the trial will have significant implications for both the crypto community and the broader regulatory landscape surrounding privacy-focused platforms and open-source software.

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